Flow controlling device



vApril 14, 193.6.-l J. D. L'ALOR- A ELowboNTRoLLING DEVICE Filed Jan. 7, 19152 .$50.05 u.. W i@ l.. y m

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tNVENToR: James. La BY ld/uff l n ToRNEYs.

' WITNEssEa Patented Apr, 14, 1936 FLOW coNTaoLLmG (DEVICE James'n. Lam, Baltimore, Md.; Marjorie mor administratnx of said James n. Lalor, de-

ceased Application January '7, 1932, Serial No. 585,214

lClalm.

(Cl. 25h-18) This invention relates to devices for controlshown in Fig. I. 'I'he casing 5 is made in two ling the flow of gases in conduits or mains; and

it has more particular reference to a control designed for use in oil burning apparatus to govern the amount of combustion supporting air supplied to the burners.

For the perfect combustion of low Baume tesi'l oils customarily employed in apparatus of the kind referred to, it is requisite that a uniform supply of air at a constant pressure be accurately maintained for mixture with the discharge of atomized oil released by the burners. 'Ihis ideal is impossible of realization with the gate or butterily .valves ordinarily used heretofore in oil burning apparatus, byreason of the' dimculty of adjusting such valves with accuracy, as well as due to changes in the shape of the valve oricesv incident to adjustment, and to varlant disallgnment of the orifices relative to the axes of the air conducting conduits or mains; the latter condition causing unsteadiness in the flow, fluctuations in the supply of air at the burners, and flickering oi the flame.

Considered from the'broadest aspect, my invention is directed toward overcoming the drawbacks 4just pointed out. 'I'his desideratum I Aattain, as hereinafter fully set forth, through provision of a device embodying a segmental diaphragm, and means whereby the diaphragm segments may bev simultaneously adjusted to vary the size of a circular flow opening which is always in coaxial relation to the conduit or main in which the device is interposed.

A further object of my invention is to afford in connection with a device having the recited characteristics, a simple and direct reading gage means whereby the diaphragm may be set with absolute precision to maintain any predetermined flow of air'in the conduit or main. l

Other objects and attendant advantages of this invention will be 'manllfest'from the detaileddescription following in connection with the vattached drawing, wherein Fig. Lis a fragmentary view, partly in side elevation and partlyin axial 45 section, of an airconduit fitted with a ow control embodying the present improvements.

'Fig. 1I is a transverse sectional view taken as ,indicated by the arrows II-II in Fig.v I; and,

Fig. III is a perspective view of one of the seg- 50 ments of the control diaphragm.

prises a circular casing I which is axially interposed between the sections ,-6, 6a of a conduit through which air or other gas is being con- 55. ducted in the direction indicated by the arrow As herein illustrated, my inproved de'vice comparts respectively designated by the numerals l and 8, the part 'I fltting into the circular hollow 9 of the part `8 and being formed with an axial boss Il! which is internally threaded to receive 5 the correspondingly threaded end of the section 6 of the conduit. 'I'he casing component 8 is, on the other hand, formed with a coaxial neck ex tension I I which is flanged as at I2 for abutment of a flange I3 on-the other section 6a of the con- 15 duit, the flangesbeing united-by bolts Il. The casing component 'I is axially recessed as at I5 with provision of a transverse annular face I6, the said face having a circular series of openings I1 concentrically arranged with respect to the 15 axis of the casingS. As the openings I1 receive fulcrum studs I 8 projecting laterally from lthe outer ends .of a series of diaphragm segments I9 which are fashioned to arcuate configuration from sheetv metal4 and which partially overlap 20 each other after the manner shown in Fig. 1I. Oppositely projecting lateral studs 20 at the inner or swinging ends of the diaphragm segments I! engage the radial slots 2i of a ring 22 which is confined to rotation within the recess I5 of the 25 casing component 1 and which bears against the inner face 23 of the cavity Sin the casing component 8. As shown in Fig. II, an actuating projection or finger grasp 2l extends radially outward from the ring 22 through a slot 25 in the 30 annular wall of the casing component 8, the said handle being provided with a pointer 26 for coordination with numbered graduations on a scale or gage 2'l suitably secured to the casing by means Y of screw bolts-2,1.

To set the device, the ring 22 is'turnedby means of the actuating projection 24, either to the right orthe left, in accordance with the indications on the scale or gage 21, depending on whether the valve is to be. opened or closed. As a consequence 40 the curved segments I9 of the diaphragm are moved either outward or inward relative to the axis of the conduit with attendant variation in the size of the central orifice through the diaphragm. Since the diaphragm orifice is always circular and always central throughout the range of adjustment from closed to full open position of the device it is evident that a uniform flow may be accurately maintained through the conduit, the volume or rate of flow being of course dependent upon the setting of the device in accordance with the graduations of .the gage 21. My improved control device is thus highly 'advantageous in instances where a steady supply of .air or other gas is prerequisite as in oil burning equipment.

I housed and i'ulcrmned in said recess; an annular- Having thus described my invention. I claim:

A device for controlling iluid flow in a conduit, comprising coupling parts having means for attaching them to adjacent sections oi' the conduit and also having abutting faces with annular shoulders directly interengaged onel around the l other for maintaining the conduit sections in actuator in and substantially filling said recess, at its inner edge, beside said leaves, pivotally connected to them and annuiarly engaged with one of said members for turning movement in the recess; and operating means for said'actuator.

JAMIE D. LALOR. 

